Electronic device having water and dust proof structure

ABSTRACT

An electronic device with a water and dust proof structure which can be safely used in wet and dusty environments. The electronic device includes a first cover. A second cover is coupled with the first cover and houses an electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover. A first gasket is formed to be integral with the first cover and has a receiving groove on a surface facing the second cover. A second gasket is formed to be integral with the second cover and has a first projection portion. The first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate, and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality of surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) of a Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0069028, filed on Jul. 28, 2009, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The following description relates to an electronic device, and more particularly, to an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure which can be safely used in wet and dusty environments.

2. Description of the Related Art

Portable electronic devices such as mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), MP3 players, and laptops are designed to be easily used during travel. Accordingly, the portable electronic devices are more likely to be exposed to wet and dusty environments. If moisture or dust is introduced inside the electronic device, this may cause damage to an internal electronic circuitry, resulting in malfunction of the device. Therefore, such electronic device requires to be configured to have a water and dust proof function.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a general water and dust proof structure employed to an electronic device. Referring to FIG. 1, the water and dust proof structure includes a front cover 11, a back cover 12, a gasket 13, and a groove 11A. The groove 11A is formed on the front cover 11 along the surface of the front cover 11 which is coupled with the back cover 12. The gasket 13, which is made of rubber, is inserted into the groove 11A. When the front cover 11 and the back cover 12 are connected with each other while the gasket 13 is inserted in the groove 11A, the gasket 13 is compressed and deformed, thereby tightly sealing the space between the front cover 11 and the back cover 12.

In the above structure, an operator should insert the gasket 13 into the groove 11A on the front cover 11 manually with precision, which is difficult and takes a significant amount of time to assemble. In addition, an assembly error may occur due to the tolerances of the gasket 13 and the groove 11A. As the result, a failure of precise insertion of the gasket 13 into the groove 11A may occur, or the gasket 13 is inserted while twisted into the groove 11A, thereby impairing water and dust proof capability.

Furthermore, since the gasket 13 has a circular-shaped sectional surface, the gasket 13 may be in contact with only one surface 12A of the back cover 12 while it seals the space between the front cover 11 and the back cover 12. Thus, there may be a limitation in enhancing the water and dust proof performance. A rectangular shaped gasket may also bring about the same result. Accordingly, the water and dust proof structure described above may cause an increase of manufacturing time and a need of further after-sales services, and degradation of reliability of the electronic device.

SUMMARY

In one general aspect, provided is an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure, comprising: a first cover; a second cover configured to: be coupled with the first cover; and house electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover; a first gasket formed to: be integral with the first cover; and have a receiving groove on a surface facing the second cover; and a second gasket formed to: be integral with the second cover; and have a first projection portion on a surface facing the first cover, wherein the first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality of surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.

In another general aspect, provided is an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure, comprising: a first cover configured to have a positioning rib that protrudes from a surface coupled with a second cover and is located in an inner region of the surface; the second cover configured to: be coupled with the first cover; and house electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover; a first gasket formed to: be integral with the first cover and stretched over an outer surface of the positioning rib and an outer region of a coupling surface of the first cover; and have a receiving groove formed on a surface facing the second cover; and a second gasket formed to: be integral with the second cover and located at an outer region of a coupling surface of the second cover such that a protruding portion of the positioning rib can be in contact with the coupling surface of the second cover when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other; and have a first projection portion on a surface facing the first cover, wherein the first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.

In yet another general aspect, provided is an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure, comprising: a first cover; a second cover configured to: be coupled with the first cover; and house electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover; a first gasket formed to: be integral with the first cover and at least partially enclose an exterior surface of the first cover including a coupling portion of the first cover; and have a receiving groove on a surface close to the coupling portion of the first cover; and a second gasket formed to: be integral with the second cover and at least partially enclose an exterior surface of the second cover including a coupling portion of the second cover; and have a first projection portion on a surface facing the first gasket, wherein the first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.

Accordingly, the first gasket and the second gasket are formed to be integral with the first cover and the second cover, respectively. Thus, unlike the conventional art, a procedure of inserting the gasket into a groove of a cover can be omitted. Therefore, an operator can assemble the first cover and the second cover easily and quickly.

In addition, the first gasket and the second gasket are in contact on a plurality of surfaces, thereby increasing sealing tightness between the first cover and the second cover. Thus, the water and dust proof performance for the electronic device can be improved.

Other features and aspects will be apparent from the following detailed description, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating an example of a conventional water and dust proof structure employed to an electronic device.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a partial view of the electronic device of FIG. 3 when a first cover and a second cover are separate from each other.

FIG. 5 is a partial view of the electronic device of FIG. 3 when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an example of an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6.

Throughout the drawings and the detailed description, unless otherwise described, the same drawing reference numerals will be understood to refer to the same elements, features, and structures. The relative size and depiction of these elements may be exaggerated for clarity, illustration, and convenience.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description is provided to assist the reader in gaining a comprehensive understanding of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein. Accordingly, various changes, modifications, and equivalents of the methods, apparatuses, and/or systems described herein will be suggested to those of ordinary skill in the art. Also, descriptions of well-known functions and constructions may be omitted for increased clarity and conciseness.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an example of an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure according to the present invention. FIG. 3 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2. FIG. 4 illustrates a partial view of the electronic device of FIG. 3 when a first cover and a second cover are separate from each other. FIG. 5 illustrates a partial view of the electronic device of FIG. 3 when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.

Referring to FIGS. 2 to 5, the electronic device 100 with a water and dust proof structure may include a first cover 110, a second cover 120, a first gasket 130, and a second gasket 140.

The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 form an exterior of the electronic device 100, and protect an electronic circuitry inside the electronic device 100. The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled together by facing a concave portion of the first cover 110 and a concave portion of the second cover 120, and thereby form a space between the concave portions. The space between the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 houses the electronic circuitry. The first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may be manufactured by injection molding with plastic material. Although the first cover 110 has a display and buttons disposed thereon in the example of FIG. 2, the second cover 120 may have the display and the buttons.

The first gasket 130 may be formed integrally with the first cover 110. The first gasket 130 has a receiving groove 131 on its surface that faces the second cover 120. The second gasket 140 may be formed integrally with the second cover 120. The second gasket 140 has a first projection portion 141 on its surface that faces the first cover 110.

The first projection portion 141 may be formed to protrude toward the receiving groove 131 and have a length H2 that is greater than a depth H1 of the receiving groove 131 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are separate from each other. In addition, the first projection portion 141 may be compressed and deformed inside the receiving groove 131 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled together, and thus may be able to be in contact with a plurality of surfaces of the receiving groove 131. Therefore, the first projection portion 141 is capable of sealing the space between the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 in association with the receiving groove 131.

For example, the receiving groove 131 may be formed to have a rectangular sectional surface, and the first projection portion 141 may be formed to have a triangular sectional surface. If the first projection portion 141 is formed to have a triangular sectional surface, the receiving groove 131 may be configured to have both side inner-surfaces inclined at the same angle as both tilted surfaces of the first projection portion 141. Accordingly, the first projection portion 141 is in contact with three surfaces a, b, and c of the receiving groove 131, thereby sealing the space between the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled with each other. The first projection portion 141 may be formed to have a semicircular sectional surface.

As described above, since the first projection portion 141 is in contact with the plurality of surfaces of the receiving groove 131 and seals the space between the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled with each other, tighter sealing can be achieved compared to when the projection portion is in contact with only one surface of the receiving groove. Thus, the water and dust proof performance for the electronic device 100 can be enhanced.

Because the first gasket 130 is formed integrally with the first cover 110 and the second gasket 140 is formed integrally with the second cover 120, a procedure of inserting the gasket into a groove of a cover can be omitted. Therefore, an operator can assemble the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 easily and quickly.

The first gasket 130 may further include a second projection portion 132. The second projection portion 132 may be positioned further out than the receiving groove 131, protruding from the surface of the first gasket 130 facing the second cover 120. The second projection portion 132 is compressed and deformed to be in contact with the second gasket 140 at a portion denoted by “d” in FIG. 5 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled with each other. As the result, the first gasket 130 and the second gasket 140 comes in contact on four surfaces instead of three, and thus the water and dust proof performance can be improved. The second projection portion 132 may be formed to have a triangular or semicircular sectional surface.

To maximize a contact area between the second projection portion 132 and the second gasket 140, the second projection portion 132 may be formed to closely contact the first projection portion 141 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled with each other. The second projection portion 132 may be formed to have a smaller sectional surface than the first projection portion 141. If the sectional surface of the second projection portion 132 is equal to or larger than the sectional surface of the first projection portion 141, an external gap between the deformed second projection portion 132 and the second gasket 140 may be generated and dust may be stuck to the external gap, making the electronic device 100 dirty.

The first cover 110 may further include a positioning rib 111. The positioning rib 111 may be located inner than the first gasket 130, extending from the surface coupled with the second cover 120. As the height of the positioning rib 111 increases, the compression force of the first projection portion 141 is reduced, and in contrast, as the height of the positioning rib 111 decreases, the compression force of the first projection portion 141 is increased. That is, the compression force of the first projection portion 141 can be controlled according to the height of the positioning rib 111.

The first gasket 130 may be formed over an outer surface of the positioning rib 111 and the surface of the first cover 110 that faces the second cover 120 so as to be closely fixed to the first cover 110. The second gasket 140 may be formed on an outer region of the surface of the second cover 120 that faces the first cover 110 such that a protruding portion of the positioning rib 111 can touch the surface of the second cover 120. Here, the second gasket 140 may be formed to be in close contact with an outer surface of the positioning rib 111 when the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 are coupled with each other.

The first gasket 130 and the second gasket 140 may be formed to be integral respectively with the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 by multi-component injection molding. The multi-component injection molding is a composite molding using two types of materials having different properties or different colors. In the example, the first cover 110 and the second cover 120 may be made of plastic materials by injection molding, and then the first gasket 130 and the second gasket 140 may be formed of rubber materials or polyurethane materials respectively on the formed first cover 110 and the second cover 120 by injection molding. Consequently, the respective first gasket 130 and second gasket 140 can be formed integrally with the first cover 110 and the second cover 120.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of an example of an electronic device with a water and dust proof structure according to the present invention. FIG. 7 illustrates a cross-sectional view taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 6.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the electronic device 200 may include a first cover 210 and a second cover 220. The first cover 210 and the second cover 220 may form an exterior of the electronic device 200 and protect an electronic circuitry inside the electronic device 200.

A first gasket 230 may at least partially enclose an exterior surface of the first cover 210, and a receiving groove 231 may be formed near a coupling portion of the first cover 210. The receiving groove 231 may be formed on a surface of the first gasket 230 that faces the second cover 220. In addition, the first gasket 230 may further include a second projection portion 232 positioned further out than the receiving groove 231 on the surface facing the second cover 220. The receiving groove 231 and the second projection portion 232 may be configured to be the same as the receiving groove 131 and the second projection portion 132 described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

The second gasket 240 may at least partially enclose an exterior surface of the second cover 220, and a first projection portion 241 may be formed near a coupling portion of the second cover 220. Here, the first projection portion 241 may extend toward the receiving groove 231 from a surface of the second gasket 240 that faces toward the first cover 210. The first projection portion 241 may be formed the same as the first projection portion 141 described above.

In the example, the first projection portion 241 contacts a plurality of surfaces inside the receiving groove 231 and the second projection portion 232 is in contact with the second gasket 240 while the first cover 210 and the second cover 220 are coupled with each other, so that a space between the first cover 210 and the second cover 220 can be sealed. Therefore, the water and dust proof performance for the electronic device 200 can be improved, compared to when the first gasket 230 and the second gasket 240 are in contact by only one surface.

A number of examples have been described above. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. For example, suitable results may be achieved if the described techniques are performed in a different order and/or if components in a described system, architecture, device, or circuit are combined in a different manner and/or replaced or supplemented by other components or their equivalents. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims. 

1. An electronic device with a water and dust proof structure, comprising: a first cover; a second cover configured to: be coupled with the first cover; and house electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover; a first gasket formed to: be integral with the first cover; and have a receiving groove on a surface facing the second cover; and a second gasket formed to: be integral with the second cover; and have a first projection portion on a surface facing the first cover, wherein the first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality of surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.
 2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first gasket further includes second projection portion which is formed on the surface facing the second cover and is located further out than the receiving groove, and the second projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with the second gasket when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.
 3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein the second projection portion is further formed to have a smaller sectional surface than that of the first projection portion.
 4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein: the first projection portion is further formed to have a triangular sectional surface; and the receiving groove has a flat bottom and each side wall inclined at the same angle as each side surface of the first projection portion.
 5. An electronic device with a water and dust proof structure, comprising: a first cover configured to have a positioning rib that protrudes from a surface coupled with a second cover and is located in an inner region of the surface; the second cover configured to: be coupled with the first cover; and house electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover; a first gasket formed to: be integral with the first cover and stretched over an outer surface of the positioning rib and an outer region of a coupling surface of the first cover; and have a receiving groove formed on a surface facing the second cover; and a second gasket formed to: be integral with the second cover and located at an outer region of a coupling surface of the second cover such that a protruding portion of the positioning rib can be in contact with the coupling surface of the second cover when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other; and have a first projection portion on a surface facing the first cover, wherein the first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.
 6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the first gasket further includes a second projection portion which is formed on the surface facing the second cover and is located further out than the receiving groove, and the second projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with the second gasket when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.
 7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the second projection portion is further formed to have a smaller sectional surface than that of the first projection portion.
 8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein: the first projection portion is further formed to have a triangular sectional surface; and the receiving groove has a flat bottom and each side wall inclined at the same angle as each side surface of the first projection portion.
 9. An electronic device with a water and dust proof structure, comprising: a first cover; a second cover configured to: be coupled with the first cover; and house electronic circuitry in a space between the first cover and the second cover; a first gasket formed to: be integral with the first cover and at least partially enclose an exterior surface of the first cover including a coupling portion of the first cover; and have a receiving groove on a surface close to the coupling portion of the first cover; and a second gasket formed to: be integral with the second cover and at least partially enclose an exterior surface of the second cover including a coupling portion of the second cover; and have a first projection portion on a surface facing the first gasket, wherein the first projection portion protrudes to have a height greater than a depth of the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are separate and the first projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with a plurality surfaces inside the receiving groove when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.
 10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first gasket further includes second projection portion which is formed on the surface facing the second cover and is located further out than the receiving groove, and the second projection portion is compressed and deformed to be in contact with the second gasket when the first cover and the second cover are coupled with each other.
 11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the second projection portion is further formed to have a smaller sectional surface than that of the first projection portion.
 12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein: the first projection portion is further formed to have a triangular sectional surface; and the receiving groove has a flat bottom and each side wall inclined at the same angle as each side surface of the first projection portion. 